The Annihilator: Killer Of Gods

Ignorance is indeed a sad way to die. Karsha had always believed that the ranking of alchemists was limited to a few levels. So, when he finally reached the Saint stage and was able to concoct Earth-grade pills, he felt happy and accomplished.

However, after hearing what his master had to say, he realized his thinking had been too narrow. There was a much broader field beyond his understanding.

"Just as there are different grades of pills, there are also rankings for alchemists. In true alchemy, the stages begin with Grandmaster, followed by Saint, Sage, Ancestor, King, Emperor, Monarch, Paragon, Maestro, Divine, Supreme, Celestial, and finally, God.

"Again, as far as I know, these are the only stages but don't be surprised if there are others above them. Alchemy is an entire cultivation path on its own. There's no telling how many stages there truly are."

Karsha remained silent, processing what he had just learned. Back on Earth, to satisfy his curiosity and converse with his son, Michael, more easily, he started reading some fictional novels and manga. In those stories, he often saw Supremes and Celestials come after God, so seeing them come before God here made him question many things.

"Master, why do the Supremes and Celestials come before the God stage?" he asked. Such knowledge would shape his future. As a cultivator, he needed to develop a will, and that will would determine the path he would take. If one could only envision reaching the Grandmaster stage, they would only ever become a Grandmaster.

The best approach was to aim higher and walk toward that path. Karsha wasn't seeking arrogance, but he wasn't willing to remain ignorant again. Getting answers now was something he would greatly appreciate.

"What you should know is that gods are absolute beings. They have transcended beyond immortality and gained control over the laws of the universe. You may not understand now, but to avoid breaking your spirit, all I can say is that gods are absolute.

If you wish to aim, then aim for the absolute peak. As you grow, you will come to understand all of this."

"Thank you, Master." Karsha was genuinely grateful. Although his question had been only partially answered, he understood that the god stage was one he could ascend to, where he could look down on everyone with complete arrogance.

He had pondered much of this since meeting Nfang, so hearing these words put his heart at ease. The only question remaining was, how many stages would he need to traverse to reach the god stage?

"Now that you know this, you should also understand that to be recognized as an alchemist in the universe, you must reach at least the Gold Badge Pill Sage stage. This is the minimum recognized by many, as it is at this stage that you will be able to concoct Heaven-grade pills.

While Heaven-grade pills are considered low-quality by some, they are still valuable to most, so the Sage stage is the real starting point in alchemy.

"As you rise higher, your badge will change accordingly. From the Grandmaster stage to the Pill Emperor stage, there are Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Platinum badges. These badges are more than mere symbols. As an alchemist, your badge is your identity, displaying your power and access.

"A Gold Badge Pill Emperor, for example, can enter most places in any world without needing permission. Treasure houses, auction houses, secret realms—wherever you go, as long as you carry your badge, you will be untouchable; not even kings will dare challenge you. This is also why an alchemist needs to join an alchemy guild as early as possible.

"When you arrive in a new place, the first thing you should do is register at the alchemy guild. This will ensure your badge level is always up to date. It's crucial." Karsha nodded.

He had initially intended to progress slowly, but realizing the value of these badges, he knew he had to obtain one. This would allow him access to most places and make gathering the ingredients he needed for his pills much easier.

"However, after the Pill Emperor stage, there is a badge far more valuable and powerful than the Platinum badge—the Ruby Badge. Any alchemist, regardless of rank, who holds a Ruby badge is to be feared. Such individuals possess the power to cripple an entire empire with just a few words. They hold authority far above that of kings and emperors."

Karsha couldn't help but swallow nervously. To be more powerful than emperors—wouldn't that be incredible? He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His dream had been to master alchemy to a certain level and then focus on his swordsmanship.

But hearing this, he knew he had another journey to undertake. Becoming a Divine Alchemist was no longer enough. He wanted to become a Pill God, a Sword God, and, if possible, a Rune/Array/Formation God.

He wasn't entirely sure why, but he felt in his bones that if he was to have any chance of stopping what Nfang had shown him, he had to become the strongest.

There was a reason most chose a single path and stayed on it: pursuing multiple paths was immensely challenging. Choosing just one path would make things easier. But Karsha wasn't deterred, at least not yet.

"You must understand that becoming the absolute best isn't about having the finest equipment. A true alchemist's heart lies in taking the poorest ingredients and transforming them into the finest pill.

I have walked the path of Absolute Pill Purity, and that was why my name resounded throughout the universe. Since you have also started on that path, remember there is no such excuse as 'my pill flame is weak,' 'my cauldron is inferior,' or 'my ingredients are defective.'

"You are my disciple, and as someone pursuing the Absolute Pill Purity path, such excuses are worthless. Even though you haven't unlocked the Primordial Pill Record yet, you must remember that the hundreds of pill-refining techniques in your mind are sufficient to overcome any obstacle, whether it's a weak pill flame, an inferior cauldron, or flawed ingredients."

"The path of alchemy is rough, so if you want to be always prepared before going into battle, then you've already lost." Karsha nodded. In truth, his pill flame should only be able to concoct at least a Tier 2 Earth-grade pill, but thanks to a refining technique he had comprehended from his master's memories, he had managed to elevate it to Tier 4.

'I have been lazy. I need to do better than this,' Karsha thought inwardly.

"Alright, since you can now concoct Tier 7 Earth-grade pills 'with good pill flame', it seems you're not doing too badly. Perhaps this will increase your chances of attracting more beauties into your harem," his master said, and the two shared a hearty laugh.

"Let me explain the function of this place. This is called the Divine Garden—a treasure I obtained after walking the Alchemy Path and emerging victorious. Its sole purpose is to grow herbs, and it does so at an accelerated speed. The garden has nine segments, each with a different growth rate.

"At your current ranking, you can only access the first segment. It's not my doing; it's just the way it is. When I obtained it, the first segment was already filled with countless herbs. I managed to unlock up to the seventh segment and have planted many herbs there as well; however, there can never be enough.

"Inside the first segment, there are hundreds of different types of flowers, plants, roots, and more that can aid your alchemy. However, not all herbs can be found here. Even after unlocking the seventh segment, I still couldn't find many herbs.

"It's not that this place is flawed; it's just that, as an alchemist, part of the process is learning how to fight for herbs. Feeding everything to you will make things boring and ultimately make you arrogant and lazy. So, even though most herbs are available here, you will need to work to obtain the ones that are not in the garden.

"There's no telling how many herbs are in this garden, but most of the ingredients you'll need can be found here. This is one of the many gifts I left you, so be sure to use it wisely."

Karsha felt grateful to his master. Although he understood that this was part of a legacy, he hadn't expected something like this. His master was essentially handing him everything he needed. If he had been skeptical at first, this was a clear sign that his life had indeed been planned many years ago.

While that might seem suspicious and make one feel like a puppet, Karsha did not feel that way. On the contrary, he was more than happy that everything was working out as it should. He didn't know why, but whenever something strange happened, he felt a sense of joy rather than skepticism.

"Insert your ring into the opening in the statue; this will open the path to the first segment." Karsha followed the instructions, and a new portal opened. Without hesitation, he stepped through.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Karsha exclaimed as he looked at the vast herb garden, filled with an array of herbs and trees.

"You can now enter this place at will. Anytime you come through the main portal, a single thought is all you need to access the portal to the second segment," his master explained. Karsha nodded in understanding.

"Alright, since I haven't taught you anything yet, why don't you pick a few herbs and let me give you some pointers? After all, what kind of master would I be if I didn't offer guidance to my disciple?" Karsha smiled and let his gaze scan the garden.

'Here they are. Time to concoct the antidote for my mother-in-law.' He began gathering all the ingredients needed for the Master Antidote Pill.